Though bassist Cliff Burton died in 1986, Metallica frontman James Hetfield reveals that the late bassist still impacts the band creatively to this day.
As part of the recent Metallica Podcast, a portion of an interview with Hetfield speaking about Cliff Burton was shared. In it, he spoke about how he continues to channel Burton when it comes time to make creative decisions in the band.
What James Hetfield Said About Cliff Burton’s Continued Presence
“Cliff still lives in all of us,” explained Hetfield during the chat.
“How he lives in me is that I get to channel Cliff [going], ‘What would be really cool right here?’ I do hold him in such high regard that I ask for his help still. I challenge myself, ‘Would Cliff like this?,'” he continued.
“That is a pretty high standard,” remarked Hetfield. “We already have pretty high standards for ourselves, but if I could impress Cliff, it was a good day.”
James Hetfield Reflects on Cliff Burton on The Metallica Podcast
Cliff Burton’s Legacy
Cliff Burton got his start in the Bay Area band Trauma and first got noticed by Metallica when he played Los Angeles’ Whisky-a-go-go in 1982. James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich recruited him for Metallica after Ron McGovney’s exit and agreed to move to the Bay Area where Burton was located after the bassist balked at the idea of moving to Los Angeles.
He first appeared on the band’s 1983 Megaforce demo, then was on board for their first three studio albums – Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. He also received a posthumous writing credit for “To Live Is to Die” from 1988’s …And Justice for All album.
READ MORE: See 100 Rare + Previously Unseen Metallica Cliff Burton Photos
Burton’s death occurred on Sept. 27, 1986 while Metallica were out on tour in support of Master of Puppets in Sweden. Burton was sleeping when the band’s bus skidded off the road and flipped onto the grass nearby. The bassist was thrown from his bunk through the window of the vehicle which landed on top of him. He was 24 years old.
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Gallery Credit: Loudwire Staff
